Apparatus for distributing sewage over a filter bed



Feb. 6, 1940. J. F. BOLTQN 2,139,513

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING SEWAGE OVER A FILTER BED Filed June 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l i-F/Cli.

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INVENFO JFIMEs FRHNKLHND cgcm HT RN Y .1. F. BOLTON 2,189,513

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING SEWAGE OVER A FILTER BED Feb. 6, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1939 INVENTOR J HMES HHNKLHND BOLTON D):

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Patented Feli. 6, 1940 mnmi'rug non nrs'rnmn'rma snwnoit van A m'rnn nan James Frankland Bolton, Heywood, England I Application June 27, 1939, Serial No. 281,315

. In Great Britain May 21, 1938 The invention relates -to apparatus for sprinkling or distributing sewage over comparatively small filter beds of the circular type and such as are used for country houses or small communities.

It is distinguished in that the motive power is derived from a water-wheel or such like actuated by the entering sewage and arranged in a stationary housing located adjacent the edge of the filter bed, rotary motion from the waterwheel or such like being conveyed by a shaft and gear to an upright shaft mounted mid-way of a fixed hollow support beam or the like disposed across the filter bed and fashioned to convey the sewage, said upright shaft supporting spreading or trough-shaped distributor arms which rotate below the fixed hollow supporting beam or the like and over the surface of the filter bed to distribute the sewage thereon.

Apparatus according to the foregoing, and for the purpose stated, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation partlyin section.

Fig. 2 shows a broken plan view.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line ll, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the rotating distributor arms or trough.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the feed and overflow box in which the water wheel is mounted.

Fig. 6 is a further detail view. 7

Upon the wall w of the filter bed I or disposed adjacent thereto, is a housing or feed and overflow box a wherein is mounted a water wheel or such like marked b. This box a has a movable cover b A feed pipe c leads into the box a and discharges into an open-topped casting c with upstanding front wall 0 having a central gap 0 past which the sewage flows to a tray 0 from which the sewage (delivered by the pipe 0) discharges onto the water wheel b. The sewage passes through a bottom outlet b from the feed and overflow box a into a fixed hollow supporting beam, or any hollow equivalent, spanning the filter bed and properly supported. A beam dis shown made of two oppositely disposed trough sections with. the edges welded together (see Fig. 3). Upon said hollow beam d is a plate or mounting e for a sleeve e furnished with .ball bearings e, e top and bottom, the sleeve and the bearings supporting a revolvable vertical spindle g. The upper end of the spindle g carries a bevel gear h. With this bevel gear h gears a small bevel wheel i on' a horizontal driving shaft I) supported by ring-oiling or other antifriction bearings i i said shaft 1) being driven by the water-wheel b.

The lower end of the vertical shaft g (thus centrally located with regard to the circular filter bed I) sustains by a plate a distributor arms or a rotatable trough extending on either. hand from the centre, for example an opentopped rotatable steel trough :i with rectangular or other spaced apertures distributed on opposite sides and as to an upright wall of each half v or other notches being mounted with respect to the apertures. The central partof the rotatable trough has a flanged plate 1 applied thereto to prevent splashing (see Fig. 1). A pendent sleeve :1 permits the sewage to pass from the hollow'beam d to the rotatable trough a. With the apparatus described, the sewage, which by its fall operates the water wheel b, passes from the baseof the feed and overflow box d and through the outlet 1) along the fixed hollow supporting beam d to the centre thereof, and passes down the sleeve d into the opentopped rotating trough a and during normal flow falls through the apertures in each half length of the vertical walls thereof and over the oppositely arranged notches in the adjustable plates i such side or laterally discharging outlets tending to set up a slight re-action on the trough to assist rotation. The adjustable plates 7' are held by hook bolts 7 (see Fig. 6).

In any event, due to the drive from the water wheel through gear, the upright shaft g is driven and the distributor arms of trough :i are rotated to spread the sewage which flows along the hollow supporting beam d.

The apparatus ensures a uniform distribution of sewage over the filter bed at all flows.

length of trough 9', adjustable plates i with i By locating and using a water wheel in a sta- I tionary housing adjacent the surroundingv wall of a circular filter bed and apart from mechanism rotating over the filter bed, it is possible to produce a light and simple sewage distributing apparatus capable of being worked with a small head of sewage.

Anv important result in the working of the apparatus herein described is, that the rotatable sprinkler distributor will distribute even the low- I est rates of flow evenly over the filter bed. These low flows must pass into the water wheel buckets, and, as the buckets fill, said wheel rotates correspondinglyturning thesprinkler distributor.

. I declare that what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for distributing sewage over a circular filter-bed, comprising a rotatable water wheel, a stationary housing for said water wheel located adjacent the edge of the filter bed, a sewage inlet to the housing, means to distribute the sewage onto the water wheel, a hollow support beam disposed across the filter bed and passage way for sewage to said support beam and outlet provision from said beam, a shaft driven from the water wheel, a gear in connection with said shaft, a vertical shaft driven by said gear, and rotatable distributor arms below the support beam and carried from the vertical shaft, said distributor arms adapted to distribute sewage upon the filter bed and to be rotated when the water wheel is driven.

2. Apparatus for distributing sewage over a circular filter bed, comprising a water wheel, a housing for said water wheel located adJacent the edge of the filter bed, sewage inlet provision to said housing, means to distribute the sewage on the water wheel, a hollow support beam disposed across the filter bed, a passage way for sewage to said support beam, an outlet midway of said beam, a shaft driven from the water wheel and gear mechanism in connection with said shaft, a vertical shaft driven by said gear mechanism, rotatable distributor arms supported by said vertical shaft, lateral outlets along each half and opposite sides of the distributor arms 3. Apparatus for distributing sewage over a circular filter bed, comprising a water wheel, a

housing therefor located upon the edge of the filter bed, sewage inlet to said housing, means to direct the sewage from the inlet to the water of trough shape in cross section, said distributor arms having spaced lateral outlets over a portion of their length and on opposite sides, and plates adjustable with respect to said lateral outlets,

said distributor arms being adapted to distribute sewageupon the circular filter bed and to be rotated when the water wheel is driven.

4. Apparatus for distributing sewage over a circular filter bed, comprising a water wheel, a stationary housing enclosing said water wheel and located adjacent the edge of the filter bed,

-a movable cover for said housing, a sewage inlet to the housing, means within the housing to distribute the sewage on the water wheel, a hollow suDD rt beam across the filter bed, an outlet from the stationary housing to said support beam, a shaft driven by the water wheel, bearings for said shaft and bevel gear, a vertical shaft mounted in bearings carried above the support beam, said vertical shaft having means to sustain trough shaped distributor arms, lateral outlets over part of the length on opposite sides of the distributor arms, and adjustable plates with respect to said lateral outlets over which sewage, can escape to assist the action of the water wheel to rotate the distributor arms over the filter bed to distribute the sewage, in manner 

